Important Limited Edition & Modern Co...

Grand Havana Room, New York, Sep 25, 2002

LOT 423

Unique and Most Complicated Wristwatch in the World. Gérald Genta, Genève, "Grande Sonnerie Retro-grade No. 1", Ref. G0026-6. Produced in a series of only 4 examples in 1994: one in 18K pink gold (this lot), one in yellow gold, one in white gold and one in platinum. Exceptionally fine and equally important, double-train self-winding, water-resistant, 18K pink gold gentleman's wristwatch with West-minster Chime, Grande et Petite Sonnerie and Silence display, four gongs and four hammers, minute-repeating, retrograde perpetual calendar, 48-hour power reserve indicator and power reserve indicator for the striking work, one minute tourbillon regulator in a fully hand-engraved movement and an 18K pink gold Gérald Genta deployant clasp. Accompanied by a fitted box and certificate.

C. two-body, solid, polished, concentric circular design, tapered at the top, transparent case back with sapphire crystal to view the movement, secured by 6 bolts, ?Vendôme? type lugs with fluted middle section, Genta-style winding crown and crowns for Grande/Petite Sonnerie at 7 o'clock and silence/chiming at 11, Genta-style push-button for the minute-repeater activation at 9, pushers in the band to adjust the calendar functions, sapphire crystals. D. lavender-colored mother-of-pearl with luminous dots and a pink gold Arabic "12"; 6 auxiliary white dials with red markers for (starting at 1 o'clock) the striking up-and-down indication, the going-train up-and-down indication, the seconds indication, the Grande or Petite Sonnerie indication, the Silence or Chiming indication and inner concentric 3/4 circle for the retrograde date indication; apertures for the days of the week, the months and the leap year. "Bâton" luminous pink gold hands, "Bâton" red hands for the auxiliary dials. M. Cal. 14''' signed Gerald Genta No. 1 and stamped with the Geneva Quality Hallmark, entirely hand-engraved, copper-colored, 57 jewels, lateral lever escapement, one minute tourbillon regulator with A-shaped polished steel frame and polished and chamfered GG-style tourbillon bridge, monometallic balance with screws, self-compensating flat balance-spring, bi-directional winding by skeletonized rotor engraved "Grande Sonnerie", tandem-winding the going train in one direction and the striking train in the other. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 40 mm. Thickness 15.7 mm.